As a vendor, we always are trying to find new ways to be the vendor of choice. We want to take the time to install and review products/services for our customers. This way we have personal experience with the product and can recommend it confidently. We are not focusing on the install as much as helpful tips during the job, rate the install effort, fit and finish first impressions of performance and such.

This is our 1st attempt at doing this. There will be many more of these to come. Any feedback is appreciated...

Today, we installed and tested the CT-E Intake system for 2006+ Civic SI's. This is regarded as one of the best intakes out there for the SI and we decided to give it a whirl.

- The overall quality is high-class
- The fit and finish is excellent
- The heatshield is designed well and works well. Took it for a drive and flogged it hard. Came back popped the hood and intake manifold was so hot it could not be touched. The heatshield was cool to the touch, so was the filter.
- Aluminum MAF housing is similar to stock. It has the veins so it should read similar to stock and not put the car in a lean situation. It will also dissipate heat better. The MAF housing was also cool to the touch after the flogging.
- The best feature is the fact this intake uses air from the lower air box iin the fender like stock. Coz the intake sits deep in the drivers side of the bay, Honda designed the resonator box to take air from the fenderwell area and feed it to the stock box. This is only one of the two short ram intakes on the market that allows the heatshield to attach to this inlet hose from lower airbox.
- It is also CARB legal in all 50 states. No issues with smog nazis.

Some tips when installing the intake:

- Use a needle nose to remove the MAF sensor harness where it is attached to airbox. This way if you go back to stock, it will attach to the stock airbox and look unmolested.
- Don't over oil the filter and ensure its not dripping through on the inside. This can impact the MAF sensor, so take it easy with the coating.
- Take your time getting the heatshield in - its a tight fit and take your time getting it in the bay. You will have to maneuver it in. Make sure you don't snag on the brake fluid reservoir and sensor line.

Driving impressions:

- The first thing noticed is the smoothness with throttle. On stock intake, the car seem choked. With this intake, it seems to take less effort.
- The intake has a hissing noise at certain rpms, almost like building boost. Its not a leak of any sort.
- Based on throttle input, the sound varies. Just cruising, its hard to tell there is an intake except for the hiss. When you get on it, you can hear a louder, deeper growl.
- VTEC crossover is very obvious. VTEC is LOOOUD and resonates in the engine bay.
- Butt dyno says the car pulls harder, no doubt about this.

The VTEC is addictive, no doubt. I seem to want
All in all, this is well worth the money. Just the throttle response and soun make it enjoyable!!

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I will say this much basic bolt-ons like I/H/E we all know does not produce much just by themselves. So, this is one reason we skipped the idea of dyno testing. If we installed a ct-e supercharger, then you bet we would have a dyno chart ASAP

But, like the link above states - approx 8 hp or something with the ct-e intake. Not bad at all.

The design and fit and finish is really what impressed us the most. Also, the fact we could tell an immediate difference. The throttle response and it not feeling all constipated makes it worth it